The First Chapter
by Nights1367
Summary: I was happy. You were sad. So I put on a mask and some paint - and tried to make you smile. But the mask melted and things changed. You left.


Author: Nights1367

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters nor plot that Yoshihiro Togashi has created. I am not writing for profit.

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><p>Chapter One<p>

He watched as Illumi finished slaughtering the last man, in this less than welcoming abandoned building, and at last finishing the mission Illumi's client had requested on. Hisoka wasn't paying much attention when Illumi had briefly explained - he had only wanted to come along. It was something along the lines of a Mafia family involvement with a drug dealer. It hadn't gone as planned, and the Mafia family wanted to eradicate the evidence.

Of course, they wanted it to be quick and efficient, and so hired an expensive assassin to do the job.

That would be where Illumi came in.

The man - who was futilely trying to gasp his last breath despite his crushed throat - finally died.

Illumi let his arm fall to his side. Finally, Hisoka spoke.

"Done?"

"Can't you see?"

Hisoka chuckled again, and hopped off from the debris he was sitting on.

"Ne, Illumi. Are you hungry? Maybe we can - "

"No."

"Ah, Illumi. Why are you so harsh?" His voice was filled with mock-hurt. Illumi turned with deadened eyes, devoid of any emotion.

"Hisoka. Why are you still here?"

"Can't I be with my best friend - "

Both fell silent they detected slight aura from several people. Imperfect zetsu. Hisoka shook his head, started to feel bored. He had wanted to eat. His eyes drooped a little as he yawned.

A sound of a gun unlocking from a safety catch.

Disinterested, Hisoka began counting how many men was going to barge in only to stare at death in the eyes - death referring to Illumi.

One... six... eight...

Hisoka blinked. Something had captured his interest. There was an aura among the others - an aura that was flowly naturally.

_Someone who can't use nen, eh? _In the corner of his eyes, Illumi had tilted his head, andwas waiting passively for the intruders to enter.

Hisoka hopped back into the shadows, and watched. Something was tugging at his mind. His eyes narrowed a bit. _This aura... did it seem... no. _Hisoka's eyes begin to lighten again, back to its playful mood.

He smiled to himself as he plucked a card out of nowhere.

_Impossible. All of them are dead._ So Hisoka pushed away the irritating thought, and waited for the massacre to begin.

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><p>Illumi rolled the pins in his palms, watching as the door creaked open a little more.<p>

_No point in delaying your deaths. _The intruders were probably trying to be discreet. Without even glancing back, he knew that Hisoka probably noticed it too.

Then, to Illumi's annoyance, Hisoka came out of Zetsu, and into his normal aura state. Illumi whipped his head around and glared Hisoka, who currently had an impish grin plastered to his face. Hisoka raised a hand up and said, in a very irritating manner, "'Yo."

It wasn't that Illumi couldn't handle himself. Hisoka had just done that to toy with him.

_Annoying._

Illumi turned back just as the bullets were fired at him.

...

It ended when it started.

Illumi swiftly killed each and every one without so much as batting an eyelash. Then felt that aura again, just outside the building.

The one with the natural flow.

_Should I bother?_ Illumi thought for a fraction of a second, then appeared outside.

_Of course._ He was never one to leave a job unfinished. The first thing Illumi noted was the rain.

Illumi blinked. He hated the rain. Slightly distracted, Illumi shook himself back to the present and proceed to search for the owner of the aura. It didn't take long. Illumi took a step forward. The owner was hiding under a bush.

He didn't have to look around to see Hisoka stepping out.

_Let this be quick. I'm growing tired of this mission._

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><p>As soon as Illumi left, Hisoka followed. It was the one with the natural aura flow. He didn't care that the persistent thought was still hanging around his mind. If he didn't want to think about, he won't. After all, Hisoka wasn't one to think about one thing too long.<p>

... But this was different.

He watched as Illumi raised a hand, and seemed to disappear. Illumi was about to deliver the killing blow - Zoadyleck style. Hisoka didn't particularly like this technique. It was hard to see where Illumi was.

_Ah - just behind - _

An image suddenly appeared in his mind.

Hisoka reacted immediately.

Things didn't slow down, as it would have in the movies. Rather, Hisoka sped up - though it was hard to do things any faster when Illumi had the same speed. Perhaps faster. Slightly.

Within the fraction of a second of Illumi standing still and disappearing - and Hisoka spotting him - Hisoka had seized Illumi's wrist and prevented the final blow.

The girl didn't have time to scream when Illumi and Hisoka were suddenly by her side. She didn't even have time to blink.

Illumi's dead gaze met Hisoka's - before Hisoka could redeem them to its normal playful mood. Too late. Hisoka had instantly returned it to their normal state - but Illumi had already seen.

"What is this?" Illumi said, his voice flat and monotonous.

Hisoka slowly unclenched his hand snaked round Illumi's wrist, but stayed where he was.

Inches from Illumi.

"Eh? Komen..."

_Think._

Illumi was looking at him questionally.

Hisoka forced a wide smile.

"My hands... slipped."

Illumi stared at Hisoka incredulously, as if Hisoka had suddenly sprouted wings.

"What?"

Hisoka just offered a shrug. And all the while, mentally noting the girl's location. Just after grabbing Illumi's wrist in time, the girl had scrambled off.

To Hisoka's surprise, Illumi made no move or action to show that he had notice.

Either way, the girl was almost out of sight before Illumi finally noticed. Illumi gazed down at the spot where the girl had been, then around - spotting her in the distance.

He then turned back at Hisoka, expressionless.

"Are you going after her?" Hisoka asked, pointing one long slender finger at the girl's direction.

After a moment silence, Illumi responded.

"No. Only because you don't want me to." And with that, walked off.

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><p>[Updated: 00:14 am. Saturday, 25th February 2012]<p> 


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